Slide fastener detent



Oct. 24, 1939. RElTER 2,177,119

SLIDE FASTENER DETENT Filed D60. 28, 1938 WI. rlllllllllilll INVENTOR L 0 v Dafw'e] I Peiier Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

, This invention relates to slide buckles of the general type shown in my prior Patent No.

1,857,973, dated May 10, 1932, and in the prior patent to myself and George W. Lane, jointly, No. 1,947,424, dated February 13, 1934.

In the type of slide buckles above referred to, the main frame of the buckle slidably carries an auxiliary slide which in turn optionally carries an element of a separable snap fastener. The auxiliary slide is self-adjusted in position by the normal tension on the belt parts. In practice, one part of a belt or strap is secured to the slide by means of cooperating snap fasteners or otherwise, and the other part of the belt or strap is 18 passed through the main frame to arrange said frame at the proper point to effect the main or preliminary adjustment of the strap.

I have found that undesired relative movement of the main frame and auxiliary slide frequently occurs when one of the straps is disengaged from the buckle as when the garment to which the buckle is applied is taken off by the wearer. Such relative movement disturbs the strap adjustment, so that when the garment carrying the buckle is againput on by the wearer, the buckle has to be re-adjusted.

My invention therefore contemplates the provision of detent or locking means for resisting undesired relative movement of the main buckle frame and the auxiliary slide out of the adjusted positions thereof, wherein the buckle parts are .fixed to one of the straps, said means, however,

. being so designed that it does not materially resist or interfere with the relative adjustment of 85 the buckle parts either manually, or automatically under the normal tension on the belts or straps.

My invention further contemplates the provision of simple and efficient locking means formed from the buckle parts and acting as a 41) detent or resisting device for preventing undesired relative movement of the main frame and auxiliary slide, while permitting normal adjusting movement thereof.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the description which follows an from the drawing, in which,

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respective front elevations of a number of typical buckles having auxiliary slides, and to which my invention has been applied.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section of the buckle of Fig. 1 showing one form of the detent in detail.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation, partly in section, of the cooperating parts of the main frame and of the auxiliary slide of a typical slide buckle, showing in detail that form of the detent means which has been applied to the buckles of Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a similar section showing a slightly modified form of the detent, wherein indents or recesses are formed on the rear face of the auxiliary slide and cooperating indents are pressed laterally and forwardly of the main frame.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5

of a modified form of the detent means wherein a plurality of indents are made on the auxiliary slide instead of a single indent. Fig. 9 is a similar fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of the detent means showing the detent applied to an outer edge of the main frame and cooperating with an outer part of the auxiliary slide.

Fig. 10 is a similar fragmentary elevational view of a typical slide buckle having an auxiliary slide and showing a modified form of the detent means.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on the line ll-l| of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a similar vertical section of another modified form of the detent means wherein the holes or recesses in the auxiliary slide shown in Fig. 10 are replaced by domed projections similar to the domed projections on the main frame.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary elevational View similar to Figs. 5, 8, 9 and 10, showing another modified form of the detent means.

Fig. 14 is a vertical section taken on the line I l-14 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Fig. 5 of another modified form of the detent means.

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section of the same taken on the line |6l6 of Fig. 15.

As'has been hereinbefore indicated, my invention is applicable to any slide buckle in which an auxiliary slide is provided, sliding on the main frame, and is formed from the buckle parts themselves by suitably shaping said parts without the use of additional elements. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown such typical buckles as 29, 2| and 22, comprising the respective main frames 23, 24 and 25 and the respective slides 26, 21 and 28. In said Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown the same type of detent applied to the various buckles but it will be understood that the detent means may take many forms, and that I intend that the various modified forms shown in Figs. 5 to 16 inclusive be applied, if desired, to any of the various slides and main frames of any buckle of the general type referred to.

For purposes of clarity and simplicity, therefore, the various modifications of the detent means have not been repeatedly illustrated in connection with each and every one of the three types of slide buckles illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Instead, fragmentary views have been used in Figs. 5 to 16 inclusive to indicate that any one of the modifications and all the modifications are applicable to any one or all of the buckles shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In the practical embodiment of my invention which I have shown by way of example, cooperating detent means are provided on and formed from the material of anyone of the slides 23, 21 and 28 for coaction with corresponding detent means provided on the frames 23, 24 and 25 to resist movement of the slide after it has been given its final adjustment and during the disconnection of the buckle-carrying strap part 29 from the'strap parti3i] (Fig. 4). 'means may be in the form of projections on one The detent of the frame members and obstacles in the form of teeth, indents, depressions, recesses or openings in the other member as will be more fully described hereinafter.

. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6, when the stud 3! is removed or separated from the socket 32, the slide 26 is freed and the stress put upon the slide during the act of separation tends to move it relatively to the frame 23, thereby tending to remove the prongs 33 thereof from the strap 34 and to disturb the buckle adjustment. When thereafter the stud 3! is reinserted into the socket 32, it becomes necessary to readjust the buckle or the slide 25 to make the strap parts of their former effective lengths.

To prevent the disturbance of the strap and buckle adjustment above mentioned, I provide suitable detent or adjustable locking means, as has been hereinbefore indicated. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the detent means comprises the tooth or projection 34 formed by indenting the slide 26 on its outer or front surface and thereby causing a projection to be formed on the inner or rear surface of the front flange 39 of the slide. Said projection cooperates with a series of spaced corresponding alternating indents and projections as 35 formed on the adjacent front face 36 of the main frame 23. The indents and projections are of their greatest lateral depth at the corresponding inner edges of the slide and frame, the depth gradually decreasing in the direction transversely to said edges and from said edges to the peripheral side edges of the frame and slide (Fig. 6). Thus the indents and projections are given a generally triangular outline,

In the various typical forms of the buckle, the slide at its side edges loosely embraces the frame and for that purpose has a top side portion 3? adapted to ride loosely on a top side edge 38 of the main frame, and also has a front portion 39 bent into parallel relation to the adjacent part of the main frame 23, and this construction is also provided at the bottom edge of the slide. It will consequently be seen that the portion 39 is springy and is yieldable about the bends 4i! and 4| to a sufficient extent to permit the tooth 34 to snap into the indents 35, and to ride out of said indents over the adjacent alternate projections between the indents 35 as the slide is moved relatively to the frame.

Normally, the spring action of the bent parts 31 and 39 serves to maintain the tooth 34 in and against movement out of the indent in which it happens to be set. When, however, the stud 3| is inserted into the socket 32 and tension is applied to the strap parts in thedirections of the respective arrows of Fig. 4, the slide 26 is moved toward the left as viewed in Fig. 4 to cause the prongs 33 thereof to enter the strap 33, whereby the parts are maintained in their proper adjusted positions relatively to each other and to the strap. In other Words, the resistance to relative mo'vement of the slide 26 and the frame 23 by the detent means 34 and 35 is insufficient to prevent relative movement thereof either manually, if desired, or automatically when the strap parts are tensioned or stressed, so that the parts may be more or less easily moved into the operative positions thereof shown in Fig. 4 without material interference by the detent means. When, however, the stud 3lis forcibly removed from the socket 32, the resulting stress put upon the buckle parts and which would otherwise tend to move and the partsare nevertheless maintained in 3 their proper set positions'on the belt strap 30. Thus the stud 3! 'may be re-engaged with the socket and disengaged therefrom as many times asmay be found necessary without disturbing the position of the buckle frame 23 and of the slide 26 relatively to each other and relatively to the strap 33. e

Preferably, the indents are omitted at the central portion as 42 of the frame face 36 so as being halted by any indents or projections or other obstacles. When the slide is moved to arrange the tooth 34 at the smooth surface 42, the slide is free of the detent means and freely moves relatively to the buckle frame until the detent becomes operative. In this position of the buckle parts, the prongs 33 are out of the way of the openings in the buckle frame23 and so that the .35 to provide a neutral, inoperative, or smooth surface over which the tooth 34 may slide without strap 30 may readily be passed through said openings without interference by the prongs,

whereafter tension on the straps engages the prongs with the strap and carries the tooth 34 past the surface 42 and into engagement with the indents 35 to make the detent operative. V

. .In that form of the invention shown in Fig, 8,

which as above indicated may be applied to any of the buckles 29, 2l-and 22 or similar buckles having an auxiliary-slide, instead of a single tooth 34 a plurality or group of similar teeth as 43 inlongitudinal spaced relation to each other are provided. Preferably, the 'unindehted space or area 42 is retained on the face 36 of the buckle frame, but it is arranged between the spaced groups 44 of teeth preferably opposite the set of teeth 43 when the slide 25 is in its neutralposition. A certain amount of preliminary relative movement of the slide and buckle frame is therefore possible before the detent means becomes or undesired relative movement of these parts is and detent means are not visible at the front of the buckle.

Referring now to the modification shown in Fig. 9, the detent or locking means is shown applied to an edge of the frame instead of to its face. Asshown, the outer side edge as 49 of the buckle frame 23 is toothed or serrated to form alternately projecting recesses, obstacles or obstructions, and corresponding indents forming the teeth or projections 58 are made in the portion 3! of the slide which rides on said edge 49. Owing to the springiness of the slide parts 31 and 39, the teeth 50 ride comparatively easily over the teeth'or obstacles in the edge 49 when the slide is to be intentionally moved, but accidental prevented by the engagement of said teeth 50 with the walls of one of the recesses in the edge 49.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. and 11, instead of teeth or indents of generally triangular shape being used as the detent means, the projections forming part of the indent means may be rounded or made in the shape of convex domes. One or more recesses or openings as 5| aremade in the flange 39 of the slide, while the buckle frame is provided with one or more corresponding and laterally extending projections as 52 adapted to snap successively into the opening or openings 5| and to move out of said openings on the relative movement of the slide and the frame in a manner which will now be well understood.

As' shown in Fig. 12, the opening 5| of Fig. 11 may be replaced by one or more convex domed projections 53 in the flange 39 directed laterally toward the projections 52, said projections riding over each other as the slide and buckle frame are moved relatively to each other, owing to the springiness of the part 39 as above explained.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the flange 39 of the slide is provided with a slot as 54 having serrated edges 55 and 56 adapted to engage a forwardly-extending projection as 51 of the buckle frame. Said projection may be formed from the material between suitably shaped cuts in the buckle frame and is shown as of partly cylindrical form with a radial opening therein to impart springiness thereto. To aid in the spreading action of the slot 54 by the'projection 51 on relative movement of the slide and buckle frame, said slot 54 is provided with an extension slit as 58 preferably at each end thereof whereby as the projection 51 moves over the serrated edges 55 and 56, the slot may spread and close enough to allow the projection to pass under the proper application of force thereto.

In that form of the detent means shown in Figs. and 16, spaced holes as 59 are made in the buckle frame and a projection as 60, formed from the material of the slide between the slits as 6! and 62, is provided in the slide flange 39. Said projection 60 is positioned to enter the holes successively thereby acting as a detent means for preventing undesired relative movement of the slide and frame. The material 60 between the slits is springy and readily rides into and out of the holes on such movement.

It will be seen that the detent means for normally preventing undesired relative movement of the slide and frame may assume a great variety of different forms and may be applied to either face of the buckle frame or to an edge thereof as may be found convenient or desirable.

It will further be noted that any of the various forms of the detent means shown may be applied to any buckle in which there is an auxiliary slide movable relatively to a main frame, in a manner which will be now readily understood.

It will further be noted that I- have provided a simple and efficient detent means for maintaining the adjustment of a slide relatively to the buckle frame which carries it,: and which means prevents movement of the slide during the engagement and disengagement of a fastener element therefrom and that I have provided a structure well designed to meet the severe requirements of practical use.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, but intend to claim the invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a buckle having a frame member and an auxiliary slide member slidable relatively to the frame member, means on the frame member for limiting the total relative movement of said members, end edge portions on the frame, said frame member having an opening between the end edge portions for the passage of a belt therethrough, cooperating detent means on the members for resisting undesired relative movement thereof between the limits of the total relative movement, said means comprising a projection on one of the members arranged to enter and to leave successively a series of spaced recesses in the other member on relative movement of said members.

2. A buckle comprising a main frame member having a pair of spaced sides, and a pair of spaced ends, there being an opening in the frame member between the ends for the passage of a belt, an auxiliary slide member, having the respective sides thereof bent loosely around the respective sides of the frame member to form a slidable connection therebetween, one of said members having a series of obstructions thereon and the other member having a projection thereon adjacent the obstructions and arranged to engage an obstruction to resist relative movement of the members.

3. In a buckle, a main frame member, an auxiliary slide member slidable on the frame member, the side edge portions of the slide member being bent around the corresponding side edge portions of the frame member to hold said members together, a projection formed integrally with the material of one of said members, and obstructions on the other member arranged in the path of movement of the projection and resisting relative movement of said members.

4. In a buckle, a main frame member, an auxiliary slide member slidably secured to the frame member and having a surface adjacent a surface of the frame member, a projection extending from one of said surfaces toward the other and movable with the member on which said one surface is located, and similar spaced obstructions on the other surface in the path of movement of said projection.

5. In a buckle, a frame, a slide member slidable on the frame, and means for resisting undesired relative movement of the frame and member comprising a projection on and movable with the member extending toward the frame and a series of spaced projections on the frame separated by recesses and arranged in the path of the member forming a rearwardly projecting tooth, and a series of similar spaced apart in-,

dents on the front face of the frame for successively receiving the tooth as the member and frame are moved relatively to each other, said tooth engaging the walls of an indent to resist relative movement of the member and frame.

8. A buckle as in claim 7 in which the series of spaced apart indents on the front face of the frame are separated into two groups, there being an unindented portion of the front face of the frame between the groups of indents whereby the tooth of the slide is disengaged from the series of indents when the tooth is arranged between the groups and limited unresisted relative movement of the slide and frame is permitted.

9. In a buckle, a frame member, a slide member slidab-le on the frame member, one of said members having an opening therein, and a laterally extending projection on the other member entering said opening and engaging the walls thereof on attempted relative movement of the members to resist such relative movement.

10. In a buckle, a frame member, a slide member longitudinally slidable on the frame member, one of said members having a series of longitudinally spaced openings therein, and a projection on the other member arranged in position to enter and to leave said openings on the relativemovement of said members, said projection fitting the opening sufficiently well to require the application of force to move said members longitudinally and relatively to each other a sufficient distance to move the projection out of the opening.

11. In a buckle for detachably securing two belt parts together, a frame member, a slide member slidable on one face of the frame memberand having side edge portions bent over the side edges of the frame member on to the other face thereof, a series of longitudinally spaced domed convex projections extending laterally from one of the members in one direction, and a domed convex projection extending from the other member in the opposite direction and in position successively to engage the projections of the series on relative longitudinal movement of said members.

12. In a buckle, a frame member, a slide member slidable on the frame member, a separable snap fastener elementv carried by the slide member, and cooperating detent means on the members for resisting relative sliding movement of the members when a cooperating snap fastener element is disengaged from the first-mentioned;

element, said detent' means comprising a projection bent from the material of one of said members, and surfaces on the other member arranged at different distances laterally from the projection and in the path of movement thereof.

13. In a buckle, a frame having an opening therein for the passage of a belt, a slide member slidablc on one face of the frame and having side edge portions bent over the side edges of the frame to a position adjacent the other face of the frame, a projection on the edge part of one of.

said side edge portions, said projection extending laterally toward said other face of the frame, and a series of convex domed projections extending laterally from said other face toward said one of the side edge portions and arranged in the path of the first-1nentioned projection, said convex projections being spaced apart a distance less than the greatest diameter thereof.

14. In a buckle, a frame membena slide member slidable on one face of the frame member and having side edge portions bent over the side edges of theframe member to a position adjacent and parallel to the other face of the frame member and terminating in free edges, said side edge portions being laterally resilient, a projection on at least one of said side edge portions, and a series of spaced projections on the frame member extending toward the projection on the slide member and in the path of movement thereof, said spaced projections being spaced'apart a distance not greater than the width of one of said projections.

DANIEL I. REITER. 

